What a difference a year can make - or not. The Calgary Flames have stumbled out of the gate for a second straight season, and this time they’ve somehow managed to make last year’s ugly opening look almost tame. There has been a little bit of life lately, though, with Ryan Huska’s club winning three of its last four after that 0-5 start.
The biggest shift is in the standings. Calgary has moved out of the basement and now sits 30th in the NHL, 14th in the conference and 7th in the division.
Only the Canucks and Blackhawks have been worse this season. At this point last year, the Flames were still firmly in last place.
On the surface, the 2026-27 group has at least done a bit better in the win column. Through nine games, it has four more goals than the 2025-26 team had at the same point, but it has also allowed four more. The result is the same miserable minus-19 goal differential for both versions of the club.
The deeper numbers tell a stranger story. Even with the better record, this year’s Flames have worse underlying results in most categories than the team did a year ago, according to naturalstattrick.com. Their xGF% and especially their HDCF% are down, which is notable because last season’s 1-7-1 start still came with fairly solid process numbers.
What really jumps out is how the team’s strengths and weaknesses have flipped. Last year, Calgary was near the bottom of the league in xGF/60 but was elite defensively, ranking fourth in xGA/60.
This season, the Flames are suddenly generating at a high level, sitting fourth league-wide in xGF/60 behind only the Hurricanes, Mammoth, and Devils. The problem is what happens the other way.
Calgary is 26th in xGA/60 at 3.09, which is almost a full goal worse than last year’s 2.17 mark.
The 5-on-5 numbers are just as grim. Calgary’s shooting percentage sits at 5.14, dead last in the league, while its 5-on-5 save percentage is .873, also 32nd. Last year’s team was not much prettier, posting a 5.44 shooting percentage and a .892 save percentage, but this year’s version has sunk even lower.
That rough start has reshaped the scoring picture, too. With Kadri and Coleman both gone, new names have pushed into the team’s top five scorers after nine games.
Frost, Coronato and Farabee are there for obvious reasons given their roles, but Suniev has been the surprise. The rookie has played in only six games and is already fourth on the team in points - a total that would have tied him for second on last year’s roster.
So yes, Calgary has dug itself into another early hole. But compared with last season, there is at least one small sign of progress: the Flames have clawed back a little after the disastrous opening stretch. They’re still a mess, but they’ve shown more life in the early going than they did a year ago.
In Other News...
Flames Rebuild Pressure Just Put One Trade Return In Focus
The Flames rebuild is starting to put the roster under a different kind of scrutiny, and veteran Zach Whitecloud has landed right in the middle of it. Calgary is expected to move roster players as part of the process, and Whitecloud is now viewed as a potential trade candidate for a club that wants to keep turning present-day value into future pieces. Toronto has surfaced as a possible fit, which makes the conversation more interesting because the Maple Leafs do have assets they could use if they decide Whitecloud is worth pursuing.
The real question is what kind of return Calgary is trying to pull out of the market, and whether a deal with Toronto can get there. The Leafs prospect pool and draft capital are part of the evaluation here, since any move for Whitecloud would have to line up with the Flames rebuild priorities as much as Torontos needs. With both sides weighing the balance between immediate help and long-term value, this is the sort of trade idea that can make sense in theory, even if the final framework is still very much taking shape. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Get Encouraging Bowen Byram Update At Crucial Time
The Flames are dealing with a significant lineup hit just as the schedule keeps tightening, with captain Mikael Backlund set to miss a game because of an upper-body injury. It will be his first absence of the 2026-27 season, and the timing matters for a Calgary team that has leaned heavily on his all-around presence in key situations.
Backlund has been one of Ryan Huskas most trusted forwards, especially when the game turns into a grind and the penalty kill needs another steady shift. Calgary will have to adjust without one of its most relied-upon veterans, while around the league other teams are juggling their own injury and recall news, including Chicago getting a more encouraging read on Bowen Byram as he continues to move day to day. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Suddenly Face A Huge Test Without Nick Suzuki
Nick Suzukis absence comes at a rough time for Montreal, and it changes the feel of the lineup almost immediately. His 546-game run to open his NHL career had been one of the leagues steadiest ironman stretches, but injury finally pulled him out of the Canadiens practice group ahead of their meeting with the Chicago Blackhawks. In his place, the Canadiens turned to Owen Beck, who was recalled from Laval, while Oliver Kapanen slid into Suzukis spot on the top line.
The timing only adds to the uncertainty around Montreals depth chart, especially with Mike Matheson and Florian Xhekaj also taking part in practice while dealing with injuries of their own. Suzuki has been such a fixed point for the Canadiens that any extended absence forces them to reshape not just one line, but the way they want to attack without him. [Read more 🡒]